When Matchbox Twenty went in the studio to record "a couple" new songs for a greatest hits collection, the band members thought maybe this would be the act's last project.

After all, singer Rob Thomas had his solo career, as did guitarist Kyle Cook and rhythm guitarist Paul Doucette.

"We didn't know what we were walking into," said Doucette, Matchbox Twenty's one-time drummer who now plays rhythm guitar. Guitarist Adam Gaynor is no longer in Matchbox Twenty.

"But it was more fun than it's ever been. We talked out whatever issues we had between us as friends and as business partners. We got together and we just really liked what we were coming up with and it was coming very quickly and it was fun," he said.

"It's been the best thing that's ever happened to us. It's been a huge breath of fresh air for us. We all have a newfound love for the band that we were not loving being in at the end of the last tour. We couldn't have asked for a better situation."

The fruit of its labor is "Exile on Mainstream," an 11-song greatest hits collection coupled with a six-track EP of new songs. For the album, Matchbox Twenty decided to forego its longtime producer, Matt Serletic, to go with England's Steve Lillywhite (Peter Gabriel, Morrissey, Travis).

"He's such a different producer than what we're used to," Doucette said about Lillywhite. "We've done everything with Matt Serletic. Matt's an extremely hands-on producer. He's right in there like a band member, especially with us.

Steve isn't like that. He creates the situation and lets you figure it out. He's there as a sounding board. And he's the most blatantly honest person I' ve ever met. If he thinks something's (terrible), he holds nothing back."

With the making of "Exile on Mainstream" behind it, Matchbox Twenty is on the road as part of its "Exile in America" tour, which hits The Palace of Auburn Hills Saturday with Alanis Morissette and Mute Math. At the time of the interview with The Flint Journal, Doucette said he and his bandmates -- which also includes bassist Brian Yale -- were still discussing if solo material would be a part of the set list.

"We're at the putting-the-show-together phase, which is always fun," Doucette said. "We dream up what we're going to do and then we realize we can't afford it and then we have to scale it down. It's been a long time since we've been out on the road. We're all kind of chomping at the bit, I guess."

Doucette said there definitely will be another Matchbox Twenty album, although the band hasn't set a time frame for it. In the meantime, it's pushing "Exile on Mainstream," a title that defines Matchbox Twenty's career.

"For a long time we would walk around with our heads down low a little bit," Doucette said.

"We would get slammed for being a mainstream band. One day we just realized, 'Wow. Why are we getting down about this? We write music that people like. Why should we be offended by that?' That was pretty funny. It was our way of saying we're happy where we are. ... We really like good melodies. That's what we strive for."